Matchmaker
by Whitesiren
Summary: Alexa Yuy is nursing a broken heart, she and her younger sister Keri had transfered to Shohoko. keri decided to play matchmaker between her sister and Kaede Rukawa, the guy she decided is perfect for her older sister.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own Slam Dunk and any of its characters.

Author's notes: This is my first Slam Dunk story so please review!

Keri listened at the closed door of her sister Alexa. Her older sister was crying again. Keri could hear her muffled sobs. All because of that no-good boyfriend of hers, who broke up with her. It doesn't matter that Keri used to adore her older sister's boyfriend since he always plays with her and buy her stuffs. Keri hates him now, all because he made her sister cry. "Boys." Keri's young mind thought disgusted, She tiptoed back to her room as she heard Alexa's sobs subside.

10 years old Keri Yuy walked out of their new house. They had recently transferred to Shohoko since it was closer to their new home. Keri was going to study at the elementary building besides her sister school.   Along the way, she passed by a basketball court. She smiled as she remembered her summer days. She her sister and her sister's boyfriend were all playing basketball together. Her smile turned sour as she remembered her sister's tears. 

Keri hesitantly walked towards the court as she heard someone playing. She arrived just in time witnessing someone do a beautiful lay up shot. "Oh Wow!" Keri thought awed. "He's even better at basketball that that idiot my sister dated." Keri thought observing the stranger who did another beautiful play. The guy then stopped playing, walking over to the bench and grabbing his mineral water.

Keri approached the stranger slowly. "Um, hello." Keri spoke shyly. The guy looked behind him then stared down at Keri's small form. His deep blue eyes softened as Keri looked up to him innocently. "You're so good, you should play against Alex." Keri said enthusiastically. "Thanks." Rukawa said quietly wiping his sweat.

"What's your name?" Keri asked chattily. Rukawa paused and looked down again at the child's eager eyes. "Rukawa Kaede." He replied shrugging a bit. "Cool! My, name's Keri, Nice to meet you." Keri replied excited. Then the bell rang, "Oh no! I'm going to be late." Keri said distressed. "Bye Rukawa sempai, you and Alex should meet." Keri shouted. "Nice kid." Rukawa thought walking out of the court as well.

Alexa wiped a couple of tears away. Her sister Keri had left earlier. "This was no way to start a new day at a new school." Alexa thought as she stared at her mirror appalled that she had been crying again this morning over him. Right then and there Alexa made a pact that she was not going to ever think, speak or worse cry over him again. Akira Sendoh doesn't exist anymore. Alexa resolved.

She finally arrived at her new school, Shohoko. She fixed her golden-brown tresses and her make up before getting out of her car and walking inside. She shifted uneasily as she felt stares behind her back that was making her uncomfortable. 

"Huh?" Sakuragi Hanamichi thought as she saw his fellow classmates both boy and girl line up at the hallway staring at something. "It better not be kitsune." Sakuragi thought fuming. He was surprised when he saw a beautiful girl in the middle of the hallway, looking lost. He decided to take pity on the girl and approach her. "Hey are you lost?" Sakuragi tapped the girl's shoulder. The girl focused her light green eyes at him gratefully. "Um…yes could you please direct me to the principal's office?" the girl asked her voice soft. 

"Sure, by the way my name's Sakuragi Hanamichi." He introduced. "Alexa Yuy." She replied. "This is the office, Alexa, I'll see you around." Sakuragi said walking away. "Thank you very much." Alexa said smiling a bit, Sakuragi smiled too at her unique beauty and left. After she finished enrolling she went to her classroom.

She introduced herself to the class and sat beside a sleeping boy. She frowned as she saw the female population in the class stare at her darkly. Alexa paid no heed and opened her textbook. Soon the bell rang, as soon as she stood up, someone knocked her down. She started to fix her things again when she heard someone mutter a sorry. She looked up and gasped. "Blue eyes." She thought startled as she remembered once again Sendoh. She mentally kicked herself for the thought. She stared at the blue eyes once more and thought better of it, not like Sendoh, the guy's eyes was deep blue and a blank expression was on his face in contrast to Sendoh's usually smiley one. "It's okay." She murmured under her breath and left the room. 

Alexa walked towards another building to pick up Keri, along the way she passed by the basketball court. Her vision clouded as tears threatened to fall. She took a deep breath and calmed herself. She entered the gym, "Hello?" she called out. No one was there yet, since Alexa was dismissed early since she was excused for not joining the activities since she's new. 

She picked up a ball that was lying on the ground and played. Playing basketball always made her feel free, untroubled. She played for about fifteen minutes when she felt someone watching her. She didn't notice that someone had entered the gym. Embarrassed, she stopped playing. "Excuse me." She murmured avoiding eye contact and grabbing her belongings. 

Rukawa had watched amazed at the girl's graceful movements when she had suddenly stopped playing and walked out. He watched her retreating figure before walking to the lockers and change to his basketball uniform.

Keri waited patiently for her sister. "Hey Keri did you wait long?" Alexa asked smiling approaching her sister. Keri shook her head. "Let's go home." Keri said clasping Alexa's hand. "Hey Alex? Can you bring me to school tomorrow?" Keri asked. "Sure why not?" Alexa responded. "Great!" Keri responded happily. She wanted to go back to that basketball court and see if that man was there again. "He and Alex should be perfect with each other." Keri thought to herself.

Author's notes: Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Slam Dunk and any of its characters.

Author's notes: Thanks to all who reviewed. 

The next day Alexa woke up rubbing her eyes. She groaned as her sister repetitively knocked at her door. "ALEX!" Keri yelled frustrated. "I'm up." Alexa muttered opening the bathroom door and got dressed. Her sister pulled her out the door walking energetically. They were nearing the basketball court where Keri met Rukawa. Keri let go of Alexa's hand and walked faster towards the court. 

All color drained from Alexa's face as she saw the court, watching transfixed as Keri waited impatiently for her. "Alex…Hurry up, I want you to meet someone." Keri had her arms on her hips. In the distance, Alexa faintly heard the sound of their bell ringing. "Ker…I have to go now or I'll be late." Alexa said gently recovering herself. "But!!…" Keri protested. "Maybe next time I'll be ready." Alexa said apologetically. "Okay." Keri said softly as her sister walked passed her. Keri sighed and walked inside the basketball court herself. "Hello?" she called out. Rukawa turned to look at her and nodded slightly. Keri walked to the benches and sat sighing under her breath.

Rukawa walked towards her, Keri glanced up at him. "Aren't you in supposed to be in school?" Rukawa asked in monotone. Keri nodded her head. "I decided that I'm not feeling well, so I'm excused." Keri spoke rebelliously as though daring him to scold her for not going to class. Instead Rukawa nodded and turned back to court and continued to play.  Keri continued to watch him play her mind thinking rapidly on how to help her sister out. After awhile Rukawa approached her again, "I'm leaving now, do you want to come along?" Rukawa asked. Keri nodded her head. 

"Rukawa sempai why aren't you at your school?" Keri asked glancing at him. "Suspended." Rukawa mumbled. "Oh." Keri said her eyes wide. "Where are we going then?" Keri asked curiously walking in step with him. Rukawa shrugged indicating that he too doesn't know. "OH" Keri said again. They walked in silence; Rukawa glanced at the little girl beside him. "She reminded him so much of his own little sister." He thought. They passed by an ice cream stand and Keri stopped. "Do you want to eat?" Ruakawa asked. Keri nodded happily. "I want strawberry!" Keri said to the vendor. The vendor smiled at her enthusiasm. Keri was busy eating it already as Rukawa paid for it.

"Thank you!" Keri said, as she was halfway done. Rukawa smiled ever so faintly. "You like the same flavor as her." Rukawa said softly. "Her?" Keri asked alarmed. "What if he already has a girl friend? I didn't think of that." Keri thought frowning. "My sister." Rukawa replied his voice distant. "Really? Where is she? Maybe we can play together." Keri said excitedly. Rukawa shrugged again. "She's somewhere with mother I guess." Rukawa spoke. "Where?" Keri asked interested. "In the States." He answered her as they continued to walk. "So when is she coming back?" Keri asked again. Rukawa paused and looked at her. "She's not going to come back anymore." He responded quietly. "Oh." Keri murmured shutting her mouth. 

~In the afternoon just as the sun was setting~

Rukawa checked his watch, "Isn't it time for you to go home yet?" He asked her. They spent the entire morning walking and in the afternoon they went back to the court and Rukawa played again. "YUP!" Keri chirped standing up from the bench. Rukawa changed his clothes and brought Keri home. 

"Keri where have you been?" Alexa asked alarmed about her sister's whereabouts. "Sorry." Keri said bowing exaggeratedly. Alexa frowned and but then broke into a smile. She turned her attention to the person who brought her sister home. "Rukawa-san." She said surprised. "You weren't at school today." Alexa stated. Rukawa shrugged not answering her. "He was suspended." Keri butted in. "Oh?" Alexa looked down at her little sister. Before Alexa could say anything.

"Alex I'm hungry!." Keri whined. Alexa sighed. "Thank you so much for bringing my sister home." Alexa said gratefully. "You can thank him better if you invite him to dinner." Keri said loudly beside her. "Would you like to join us for dinner?" she asked politely. "Of course he would, c'mon." Keri said airily grabbing Rukawa's hand and dragging him inside. "Fix us something great Alex!" Keri said as she led him to their backyard.

After a few minutes Alexa walked out and found her sister spent and sweaty sleeping noisily at Rukawa's lap and Rukawa leaning at the wall sleeping too. Alexa smiled at the sight. She noticed the basketball lying on the ground and picked it up trying to put it back to the box where they put all their outdoor stuff together. But as soon as she got hold of it, she dribbled it unconsciously and soon she was running across the court doing a beautiful shot. Keri waked up first and watched in fascination as she remembered a time when her sister played much more beautifully, before they even came to Japan. Soon Rukawa was awake too. 

Alexa noticed them out of the corner of her eye and dropped the ball, "Did I wake you up?" Alexa asked smiling. Keri frowned as her sister stopped playing. Rukawa stood up and walked over to her "Let's play." He commanded. Alexa nodded wordless. Alexa got the ball first and as soon as she started to run, Rukawa stole the ball from her and made a point. For the first part of the game, Alexa lost miserably with the score 10-16 in Rukawa's favor "What's wrong?" Rukawa asked as she was guarding him. "You could do better." He taunted and eluded her. Alexa cursed under her breath. They stopped for a moment as Alexa drank from a glass of water. 

As she was drinking she watched the setting sun in the distance, the winds rustled the trees making her hair sway. And in her eyes something flashed, a recollection and a memory, with renewed strength and determination she played and was catching up with him, the score now was 18-21. She was about to shoot a 3-pointer when their phone rang. Alexa dropped the ball and went inside. Rukawa sat beside Keri and started eating the remaining food that Keri hadn't polished off yet. 

After a long time Alexa got off the phone. She went back to the backyard and saw Keri alone staring at the stars. "Rukawa-sempai has gone home now." She told her. Alexa sat beside her, "Keri what are you thinking?" Alexa asked softly. Keri didn't answer for a moment then shook her head. "Nothing." She answered quietly. "Aunt Victoria just called." Alexa said taking hold of the empty plate. "Father is getting married." Alexa continued. She looked sideways at her sister who was unusually silent and noticed the silent tears that run off on her cheeks as she kept staring up towards the skies unblinking.

"Keri?" Alexa asked tenderly taking her sister in her arms and hugging her. "Please don't cry." Alexa pleaded. "I'm just thinking about Mom, I miss her…" Keri said sadly. "Well, you're going to have a new mom now." Alexa said brightly. Keri looked at her sister for the longest time wondering if she was joking and made a face. "Dad is never here with us, I miss him too." Keri added. "Its alright, I'm still here." Alexa whispered.  Alexa wiped the tears from her sister's face with the back of her hand. 

"So what did Aunt Victoria say?" Keri asked. "Dad and our new step mom is going to come here in Japan next week, they're going to do the wedding here." Alexa told her. "Oh." Keri murmured.  After they went inside, "Alex its Saturday tomorrow can you take me to the mall? I need some stuff for school." Keri asked as they walked upstairs to their rooms. "Alright, now go to sleep." Alexa agreed.

~At the mall~

Alexa and Keri were walking hand in hand as Keri bought a lot of stuff. "Are you sure you need all that for school?" Alexa asked skeptical. Keri nodded dynamically. They passed by the grocery section, "Hey its Rukawa-sempai!" Keri said cheerily. "Alexa gave a smile at Rukawa's direction while Keri handed all the things she was holding and skipped happily to where Rukawa was. 

Alexa waited patiently and sighed with relief as Keri came back with Rukawa behind her. "Alex, Rukawa-sempai is going to join us." Keri stated grasping on to Rukawa's hand. "Keri don't bother Rukawa I'm sure he has something to do." Alexa scolded lightly. Keri pouted. "I don't mind." Rukawa said quietly. Keri broke into a smile. "See?" She said triumphantly at her sister. Alexa rolled her eyes and they got going.

"Thank you for coming with us Rukawa-san Keri enjoys your company very much, may I ask why you're here in the mall?" Alexa asked curious. "My mother is coming home unexpectedly with her new husband, I need to fix up the house." He answered in monotone. "Okay." Alexa said nodding. Alexa went to the bathroom while Rukawa and Keri were waiting for her. 

When Sendoh and some other Ryonan players passed them. "Rukawa. What are you doing here?" Sendoh greeted with mild surprise. Beside him Keri was glaring at him angrily. "Keri!" Sendoh exclaimed smiling warmly. Keri was frowning and didn't answer him, her arms folded on her flat chest. Sendoh decided to play oblivious to her expression and offered her a candy. At the same time Alexa was getting out of the rest room.

"Akira." Alexa said his name painfully. "Alexa." Sendoh greeted nonchalant. Alexa forced her eyes to remain expressionless and hurried Keri and Rukawa away. Sendoh watched with jealousy as they disappeared. 

Author's notes: Don't forget to review. Can you vote if you want Alexa to be paired up with Rukawa? Or will she get back together with Sendoh?


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